Deadlock

Robert Downey, Jr. insists he would end the deadlock on another Iron Man sequel if Marvel Studios executives hired Mel Gibson to direct the film. The actor is still mulling over a return to the comic book blockbuster franchise and he admits his decision would be helped if his old friend Gibson was asked to take charge of Iron Man 4.
Downey, Jr. insists the time is right for Hollywood's bigwigs to forgive Gibson for his past indiscretions and scandal-making headlines, and offer him the chance to prove himself as a top moviemaker again.
He tells Deadline.com, "Nobody should make a case for somebody who just wants forgiveness but hasn't changed, but he's a fundamentally different guy. I think it was just the very worst aspects of somebody's psyche being treated as though they were the blanket statement about a person.
"But honestly we are talking about a competitive business and it all comes down to this: because he is so gifted as a storyteller and a director, I don't know that he requires some sort of mass forgiveness.
"He has changed, but at the same time he's still Mel. He and I are so similar in so many ways. He really, honestly is the first to admit his character defects and also is just a great, great collaborative guy."
And Downey, Jr. insists anyone who really needs to know the truth about Gibson should look at his kids, adding, "I always say too that if you want to judge a man or a woman then look at their kids. He has the healthiest, happiest, most productive kids you could ever meet or know, and I'm fortunate to be friendly with several of them. He did a lot right, and there's stuff he taught me about parenting that didn't sink in at the time but have proven to be true."
Gibson, who has directed the epics The Passion of the Christ and Braveheart, became Hollywood's favourite villain when he showered a Jewish traffic cop with anti-Semitic remarks during an arrest in 2006. He was also investigated for domestic violence in 2010 in reference to an incident between him and ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, the mother of his baby daughter Lucia.

Actress Nicollette Sheridan has lost her latest bid for a new trial against Desperate Housewives producers, ending a three-year battle over allegations of wrongful dismissal. The star has been fighting for damages since 2010, when she filed a $20 million (£13.3 million) lawsuit against TV bosses, claiming her character, Edie Britt, was killed off after she complained to ABC network executives about an alleged physical altercation between herself and creator Marc Cherry.
The case ended in a mistrial in March, 2012 after a jury deadlock, and subsequent attempts by the actress to appeal the dismissal were rejected.
However, she amended her complaint in an effort to win a new trial and scaled back her original allegations, claiming she was fired from the show for simply speaking out against working conditions.
The altered lawsuit won her a new trial date in April (13) from Los Angeles Superior Court judge Michael Stern, who scheduled the case for 2 December (13), but on Friday (18Oct13), he sided with bosses at ABC and production firm Touchstone TV and dismissed the case in a summary judgement.
His ruling was mainly based on the fact that Sheridan had not filed a complaint with the California Labor Commission in the six months after the September, 2008 onset incident with Cherry.
Sheridan and her lawyers are expected to appeal the decision.

A colleague at Hollywood.com asked me whether one of the constituents of a good Tim Burton movie was Johnny Depp. After doing some research, we had noticed out of 16 movies, eight with Johnny Depp and eight without, both groups total nearly the exact same gross and averaged the same on the "Tomato Meter" on Rotten Tomatoes. Though this may seem like a deadlock, there are actually some more subtle elements to consider that reveal a kindred spirit action between the both of them, which often transcends their work for the bottom dollar.
First, we should rule out the Batman movies, which prove high on the box office level for Burton — if a little lukewarm critically — without the presence of Depp. The fact that the titular comic book character transcends the director as far as notoriety, makes considering Depp's inclusion a moot point. After all, back in the early '90s, Depp had only begun his film career.
Sandwiched in between these two films, however, is Burton's first film with Depp: Edward Scissorhands (1990). According to Box Office Mojo, while the Batman films made hundreds of millions of dollars during their theatrical runs, Edward Scissorhands maxed out at just over $56 million. The oddball film about an orphaned creation of a mad scientist with scissors for hands stands above Burton's inventive take on Batman as the best received, critically, among this trio of films. No matter the weird and creative spin Burton gave the DC hero, it pales against the Gothic fairy-tale of Edward Scissorhands.
If type-casting was a factor, one might credit Burton for leading Depp to a healthy career of rather quirky characters that have become the actor's bread and butter, from the Buster Keaton-obsessed loner Sam of Benny and Joon (1993) to Captain Jack Sparrow in the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean movies. It has been a diverse career for someone who started on TV as a teen idol on 21 Jump Street, yet one that seems to remain defined by his quirky turn as Edward Scissorhands.
There was another early success for the pair, and sentimentality might want to make this critic argue that it stands as their best work. It also happens to be their critical pinnacle, if least commercial success: 1994's Ed Wood. Their biopic about the cross-dressing director, shot in black and white, benefitted greatly by Depp's scenery-chewing portrayal. However, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) remains one of the collaborators’ purest works on many uncompromising levels, considering its black humor, R-rated horror and the fact that it was a musical, featuring Depp's first singing role in a cockney accent not too different from David Bowie's voice.
20th Century Fox
But even without Depp, Burton does not seem helpless to conjure up some the most bizarre and beloved characters of contemporary cinema. One of Burton's most enduring creations remains Jack Skellington and the denizens of Halloweentown. Though The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) was directed by Henry Selick, Burton conceived the story and characters with the help of screenwriter Caroline Thompson. It bombed at the box office, but found new life with a cult following and later a re-release in 3-D (2006). Thompson also helped realize another of his zaniest, beguiling stop-motion experiences, which Burton this time directed: Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (2005). The latter film also included Depp in a lead performance as the bride’s betrothed, playing the straight man to a cast of undead, madcap characters.
Later mutual successes, like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) and Alice in Wonderland (2010), have proven Burton and Depp's greatest hits financially. Alice failed with many critics, however, who seemed to have grown tired of Depp's over-the-top reliance on make-up and quirks as the Mad Hatter, and Burton’s diversion from the source material to turn Alice’s story into some sort of action-adventure video game. Commercially, one must also consider that 3-D had reached its height at this point and moviegoers had easily bought into the 3-D hype (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was then one of the rare films released in the even higher-priced IMAX 3-D format), which has since lost its luster. Finally, like Batman, both films were based on previous works of acclaim and popularity that had their built-in audiences and once again transcend the Burton/Depp following.
There were times it seemed Burton needed Depp to achieve success. Mars Attacks! (1996) seemed to bust upon initial release but endures as a campy, send-up of '50s-era sci-fi flying saucer films. However, the director reteamed with Depp for the director’s highly anticipated take on Sleepy Hollow (1999), which only did slightly better critically than Mars but made three times the revenue at the box office. Likewise, Frankenweenie (2012), a third stop-motion animated film associated with Burton but without Depp, and his latest work, fell below expectations, financially. Burton’s take on the Dark Shadows soap opera of the '70s, earlier that year, did not receive a positive critical consensus, but its box office performance was nothing to sneeze at. It featured Depp in another freakish role, as the film's patriarchal vampire.
Considering these events, it would indeed seem that Burton needs Depp. But the fact remains that Burton provided an important channel for defining Depp's career that also enforced the beautiful grotesque of the Burton world. On the other hand, Burton does not necessarily need Depp to continue making his particular brand of cinema. It says something that he can succeed at Deppless ventures like reinventing Batman in his Gothic/freak show aesthetic, and creating an original character as iconic as Beetle Juice (who would spin off into his own Saturday morning cartoon series). That it may seem Burton has failed to reach such success without Depp recently only speaks to the ebb and flow of their track record together. After all, it’s the Burton aesthetic that set the platform for Depp’s career path. Though he may not be as successful at it commercially nowadays, Burton still has a strong sensibility true to his core being. The creatures in the underrated Mars Attacks! and Frankenweenie feature a bizarre yet enchanting melding of horror and humor that walk a precarious line most directors easily tumble off. No one can walk that line and make it on his own terms better than Tim Burton, but does he need Johnny Depp? It's nice to think so. And luckily, they both seem keen on continuing that relationship.
More:'Beetle Juice' Almost Wasn't a Tim Burton MovieDepp Reteams with 'Secret Window' Director for a ComedyJohnny Depp in 'Into the Woods': A Bad Idea
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When Fox announced that Paula Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger, and host Steve Jones were leaving The X Factor last January, my entire system went into shock. See, it may not say this on my resume, but I am Hollywood.com's official X Factor expert. Having survived last season's bootcamp, almost every live show, and several instances of Stacy Francis-induced auditory-rape, I now proudly display my X Factor PhD above my cat pictures as a badge of courage. The show was an absolute mess, but I loved it that way — and eliminating its three craziest elements, I feared, would ruin the fun forever.
With Jones gone, who would be there to awkwardly thank the show's "sexy dancing people?" Without Scherzinger, would I ever hear inane, poetic "judging" comments like “If that song doesn’t save a small country somewhere, I don’t know WHAT will," or "Your spirit transcends across the universe" again? Devastated, I was ready to put a giant "X" on the show for the upcoming fall TV season.
But, lo and behold, Simon Cowell's decision was ultimately for the best — because the show is about to get infinitely more interesting. Earlier this month, my talented colleague Brian Moylan argued that taking the rumored $15-million X Factor deal would be a horrible decision for Britney Spears, who isn't exactly known for her ability to form cohesive thoughts on the fly. But now that Spears and Demi Lovato have officially signed on, I have to respectfully disagree — these four judges together have the potential to make television miracles happen. As the always-humble L.A. Reid says, they're going to be the "Rolls Royce of reality TV."
The main problem with Abdul and Scherzinger last season wasn't that they were boring (which they were) — it was their complete inability to actually JUDGE the contestants. Remember when Scherzinger tearfully refused to send Marcus Canty home over the vastly superior Rachel Crow, sending the vote to a "deadlock" that ultimately sent Crow packing? That's not going to happen this year. Why? Well, first because the show took so much heat for it last year, but also because Demi Lovato is freaking tough. We're talking about a girl who, as a teenager, punched a back-up dancer in the face, successfully completed rehab in the embarrassing light of the public eye, and ultimately ended up better from it. She has since opened up about her struggles with bulimia and self-injury, proving that she isn't afraid to be bold, and now she has the chance to verbally punch performers in the face without consequences. Demi is not going to back down from that challenge. And even though she's very young, and filling a slot that could potentially have been taken by Whitney Houston, it doesn't take a Mozart to judge pop singers on a live talent competition. I mean, I know next to nothing about music, and I did it from my seat twice a week.
Then there is Spears, who, in Moylan's words, is set to fill the Abdul role of the "faded pop star who says nice but completely idiotic things about the singers on the show." This may be true, but Spears' comments will be a treat for the fans either way -- and they shouldn't hurt her career. If she takes the Abdul/Scherzinger route of half-assing it and never saying anything negative ever, she'll at least have three other judges to round things out, and Spears has an uncanny ability to make dumb statements sound cute and funny. Also, her entire team of life mentors, psychics, publicists and handlers will be coaching her on this for the next several months, so when the time comes for live shows, I highly doubt she'll be slurring her words in a prescription drug-addled haze like Abdul always seemed to be doing. Spears already conquered the difficult task of winning us over with last summer's new and improved comeback tour, so the masterminds running the Britney machine will do everything in their power to prevent her from taking another tumble. Plus, I'd put money on the fact that they'll keep her away from those who could hurt her reputation the most: The Press. All four judges spoke to the press after the shows last year, but something tells me that Spears' contract will eliminate this responsibility.
But there's another very important factor that could make Spears go the other way — her old Mickey Mouse Club rival, Christina Aguilera. Aguilera kills it with her "tell it like it is" judging style on The X Factor's infinitely superior rival, The Voice, and she's even taken a stab or two at Britney. Cowell and Reid have not been shy about the fact that they think they can rival The Voice with a better judging panel, and Spears will undoubtedly feel the pressure to live up to Aguilera's standards — something she's been doing quite well since approximately 1999. Xtina is a talented, opinionated judge who is very tough to beat, but things could get very interesting if Spears even cares enough to try. Make someone cry, Britney!
Finally, both Spears and Lovato will receive larger-than-life paychecks for their judging gigs, which should tie up a hefty portion of The X Factor's budget — and they still haven't hired a new host. I know that this is wishful thinking, but hear me out: Simon, could you pretty please bring Steve Jones back for another season? He'll do it for minimum wage. Thanksgiving.
Read Shaunna's inane X Factor tweets at @HWShaunna
More:
Britney Spears, Demi Lovato Sign 'X Factor' Deal
Dear Britney: Doing 'The X Factor' Is a Really Bad Idea
Britney Spears Gets $15 Million to Judge 'X Factor'?

Ever since the network cleaned house at The X Factor, Fox has been desperately searching for suitable replacements to fill the void Nicole Scherzinger, Paula Abdul, and Steve Jones left behind. And while several names have been tossed around throughout the past few months, the latest celeb on Simon Cowell's wish list is rumored to be none other than George Clooney's girlfriend, Stacy Keibler.
According to the New York Post, the former pro wrestler is said to be in secret talks to join the reality show, though no specific position was revealed. This means she could be up for either the hosting slot or even a role on the judging panel. But considering Keibler's lack of a musical background, insiders believe she'd be more suited as a host rather than a vocal expert.
“Stacy Keibler is also in talks to join the show, but her lack of experience in the music business may make her more appropriate as a host," an insider shared with the newspaper. "She looks fantastic and has bags of charisma.”
But, to play devil's advocate, it's certainly possible Cowell wants Keibler as an actual judge. A few years back, Idol proved judges don't necessarily need extensive singing experience in order to give out advice when Ellen DeGeneres joined the panel. Perhaps the network sees something unique in the model, which could help serve as a ratings goldmine (Clooney never hurts).
Meanwhile, another insider added insight on other potential additions to the cast, "Talks are still ongoing with Britney [Spears], and she is asking for a lot more money, than was originally offered. But producers are confident Britney will realize this is a great opportunity for her to reinvent herself and accept their deal.” Spears was supposedly offered around $10 million to join the judging panel, but talks reached a deadlock after she demanded a $20 million payday.
Glee star Darren Criss was also reportedly offered a position on the show, however, he declined the hosting job due to his already hectic schedule. But if the network is hoping to find someone to fill those open positions they better do it soon since auditions are already under way for Season Two, though the official start date has yet to be announced.
What role do you think Stacy Keibler would fit into better: X Factor judge or host?
Source: New York Post

Now that the first season of The X Factor has finally come to a close, I thought now would be a good time to look back and reflect on our dear judges. For the past 14 weeks, it has been their responsibility to seek out and mentor contestants they felt truly possessed the “X” factor – but did they do a good job? I say it’s time to judge the judges and decide which of them rates best above all the others. Personally, I think all of the judges were a little lacking in their duties this year, but some definitely fell short more so than others and it’s time to call them out on it.
Please note that my ranking system is based not only on the decisions they made throughout the coarse of the competition, but also on their mentor responsibilities and overall entertainment value to the show itself. Check out my analysis below and see if you agree my results (just think of me as an un-biased fifth party judge).
Simon Cowell: 4 out of 5
Although Simon didn’t exude quite the same verbal brutality we’re used to seeing on Idol, the music mogul still contributed a decent amount of sassy entertainment to the show itself. And while his criticism was mostly focused on his fellow judges, it served as great comic relief amidst all the intense emotional moments throughout the competition. But more importantly, his rather blunt criticisms were, for the most part, right on point. A lot of what the other judges said, I didn’t necessarily agree with, but Simon never let me down, time and time again calling his colleagues out for their ridiculous comments/feedback. And let’s not forget that Simon’s category (the girls) lasted the longest before facing their first elimination with Drew a few weeks back. That by itself shows he knows not only how to spotlight his contestants’ talent, but to also make them extremely likable as well. So hands down, the top billing goes to Simon – and you know he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Paula Abdul: 3 out of 5
I know, I’m just as surprised as you are that she’s so high up on my ranking system, but I guess that kinda shows you how pitiful the judging panel was this year. However, you can’t deny that she adds an awful lot of amusement to the show – if she’s not having an emotional breakdown over the elimination process, then she’s spouting off crazy comments that don’t even seem to make sense. And you can’t help but love her for it! But don’t let her ditzy demeanor fool you – she did a wonderful job working with her “groups” category and taught them a great deal of impressive choreography. And yes it’s true her acts were the first to be eliminated completely from the show, but I feel that had more to do with the fact that they were groups and less to do with the fact that Paula was the one mentoring them. And although she may not be the most eloquent speaker of the bunch, she definitely understands a great deal about the music industry and was able to offer some great insight into what it takes to succeed in this business. Plus, to top it all off – she has a great deal of heart. You can’t help but find it at least a little endearing to see just how much she cares about each and every contestant, truly wanting them to succeed. Her second place is a no-brainer.
L.A. Reid: 2 out of 5
Here’s where things start to get a bit rocky. It seems that L.A. has done everything in his power to under-impress me this season. While I wasn’t really that familiar with him before the show, I expected the guy to be well informed and highly useful in a competition like this since it’s sort of his area of expertise…but I was sadly disappointed. Not only did he not recognize some well-known, popular songs (like Demi Lovato's Skyscraper and Christina Aguilera's Ain't No Other Man), but he also appeared highly hypocritical in his feedback to the contestants. He constantly criticized Drew for giving the same sort of performance week after week, yet when do you remember Astro NOT incorporating a rap into every song he sang? (Psst -- You can’t remember, because it never happened). Maybe if the judges actually judged the performances instead of just criticizing one another, then the contestants would’ve been able improve and therefore NOT do the same thing each and every week. That’s just a suggestion though. So yes, he deserves to be among the bottom ranking because his contributions were almost non-existent and he clearly needs to brush up on his pop culture music. If you can recognize a Christina song, you shouldn’t own a record label.
Nicole Scherzinger: 1 out of 5
I wasn’t a big fan of Nicole’s at the beginning of the show since she just seemed super fake and always made the wrong decisions regarding her group’s song choices and stage gimmicks. But then she did the most unforgivable thing imaginable…she allowed Rachel Crow to be eliminated from the show simply because she was too lazy to make a decision. That girl did not deserve to leave yet, especially when it was between her and someone who had been in the bottom two slot THREE weeks in a row! By opting to not make the decision herself (aka doing her job) and letting it go to DEADLOCK, Nicole ultimately crushed a 13-year-old girls hopes and dreams – and for that I am unforgiving. As a judge, it’s her responsibility to make the call as to who stays and who goes, but she didn’t do that since she didn’t wanted either contestant to be mad at her (well guess what, now all of America is mad at her). I mean, what’s the point of performing a “Save Me” song if it’s not going to help you survive elimination? The way she handled the whole thing just shows what little value and use she brings to the judge’s panel. I’m sorry, she did great on Dancing With the Stars, but as a judge, she comes up short and earns the lowest rank of them all.
So do you agree with my analysis? How would you have ranked the judges? Sound off in the comments section below and be sure to follow me on Twitter @Kellybean0415.

S1E20: Okay guys, I think I’m finally starting to understand what it means to have The X Factor. From the show’s inception, I’ve had a hard time grasping what criteria the judges are using to determine whether or not a contestant has that X-tra special quality – but I think I’ve finally figured it out. Obviously, at this point it’s not just about the singing, although each contestant stands out vocally in their own unique way. And it’s not just based on appearance (by now we’re all familiar with Josh Krajcik’s greasy hair) or even how much you want to win (because everyone wants to win SO BADLY). No, a candidate who possesses the “X” factor is determined by how they handle rejection. Think about it – soon after Astro pulled his whole “I’m too good to sing for America” act when he was placed in the bottom two, he was kicked off the show. Drew, while an amazing singer, practically had a nervous breakdown before even getting a chance to perform her “Save Me” song and the judges ended up voting her off. And does anyone remember Jazzlyn Little? Well I do because she was my favorite contestant from day one, but she got kicked out at the judges’ homes because she would get so nervous before going out to perform. In this business, you need to have thick skin – all four of these judges know that, and that’s one of the main attributes I believe they’re looking for in a winner.
So, now with that revelation discovered, I can at least try to wrap my head around this week's elimination round. Seriously, I'll try my best, but it's difficult. It came down between Marcus Canty and – wait for it – the adorable Rachel Crow. NO!!!! The 13-year-old ball of sunshine fought the best she could to hold back tears, but you could tell she was completely heartbroken by this. She ended up pulling it together long enough to give a beautiful performance, but you could definitely see she was on the cusp of completely unraveling. She even told Marcus, her competitor, that she loved him: heart breaking. And poor Marcus found himself part of the bottom two for the third week in a row. At this point, this guy’s got to be tired of the repetition, but he handled the situation with dignity and also pulled off an impressive number. But the judges had no choice but to vote against these superstars, but when the final decision came down to Nicole (after L.A. voted to send Rachel home, while Paula and Simon voted to eliminate Marcus), she opted to vote against Rachel in order to put them into DEADLOCK, so America would have to make the decision for her (why is she getting paid to do this again?). So you think the results are going to be obvious, but based on America's votes, the person sent home was...Rachel Crow.
She immediately dropped to the floor and started sobbing. It was awful. Seriously, it felt like watching a puppy get run over and the entire auditorium erupted in sadness. Part of me wishes Marcus had purposely messed up his performance just so this sweet little girl could continue to fulfill her dream, but what's done is done. But we can all take comfort in knowing that no one feels more miserable right now than Nicole, for letting this happen. So that means Melanie Amaro, Josh Krajcik, Chris Rene, and Marcus Canty are off to the semi-finals this week.
Tune in for the semi-finals performances next Wednesday at 8 p.m. on Fox.

S1E17: It was an especially tense night on The X Factor since not one, but two acts had to be voted off the competition for good. So the format was a little different – the contestant with the lowest number of votes was automatically voted off the show without the judges' involvement (you hear that America? Our votes actually mattered this time around). But that still left another act to be eliminated, so the acts who received the next two lowest amounts of votes had to sing for their survival in front of the judges. You know, but no pressure or anything.
Needless to say, it was a very stressful night for all involved, judges included, since all of these acts are extremely talented and have definite star potential. But as they say in show business -- the show must go on, so the contestants suffered through the results yet again. We discovered that Lakoda Rayne received the lowest number of votes this week and were immediately sent home. I was actually pretty surprised about this since they’ve been doing much better recently, but America has spoken and they were out for good. The other two acts that received the next two lowest number of votes were Marcus Canty and Leroy Bell. And after they sang for survival the judges tied in who they wanted to send home, so it went into deadlock, which means that whoever received the second lowest votes from America would be sent home -- and in this case it was Leroy Bell. It’s getting hard to see anyone go at this point, but out of those two I’d say it was the best choice. Now that Lakoda Rayne and Leroy Bell are out of the competition, only seven acts remain. Who stands the best chance of winning that five million dollar prize? We’ll know soon enough!
The X Factor will return to it's regular time next week on Wednesday at 8 p.m. on Fox!

An angry Jackson threatened to re-locate the movie from his native New Zealand if local actors didn't end their boycott of the film over a contract dispute with studio bosses.
And, after a month-long stand-off, it appears the tense situation is cooling.
Officials at America's Screen Actors Guild broke the latest news in the ongoing union battle, stating, "Our sister union New Zealand Actors Equity issued a statement recommending all international performers' unions rescind their member advisories on the feature film production The Hobbit.
"In light of this recommendation, Screen Actors Guild will be alerting its members that they are now free to accept engagements, under Screen Actors Guild contract terms and conditions, on The Hobbit."
Jackson and his fellow producers recently announced that the delayed film will start shooting in February (11).

Kellan Lutz and Ashley Greene were reportedly in negotiations to land better salaries for the final movie, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, after it was revealed Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart were receiving multi-million dollar pay cheques.
Summit Entertainment movie executives were keen to prevent a deadlock from causing delays, and sources claimed the film bosses were willing to recast some of the supporting roles if appropriate salary deals could not be reached.
But now Lutz and Greene - who play siblings in the films - have signed new contracts.
The Hollywood Reporter claims the pair is receiving around $1.25 million (£830,000) for each of the films.
Shooting on the two Breaking Dawn films is slated to begin in the autumn (10). The movies will be shot back-to-back, ahead of possible releases in November 2011 and summer 2012.